MEL Gibson once had close links to the Australian League of Rights, a Far Right group notorious for its anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial. The league claims the world is run by a secret society of Jews.

The Hollywood star's foray into Far Right activist politics in Australia occurred in 1987 when he campaigned for a friend, Rob Taylor, who stood unsuccessfully for the northern Victorian federal seat of Indi.

Charles Pinwill, a former Queensland state director of the League of Rights, said he knew Gibson's father, Hutton, and said Gibson was interested in the league's ideas.

"They were never members of the league, no. But we never really recruited members, just support. (Mel and Hutton) were interested in some of our ideas," Mr Pinwill said.

"His dad had politically similar ideas to me. His dad had a well-considered philosophy, he thought things through.

"I knew (Mr Taylor) was a friend of Mel's. Mel's not really a political animal, he's interested in spiritual things."

Several of Gibson's Hollywood friends have defended the star, saying he is a "different person" when he is drinking, but they do not believe he is anti-Semitic.

Actor Jodie Foster said that while she did not believe drunkenness excused hurtful remarks, she doubted claims Gibson was prejudiced against Jews.

"Is he an anti-Semite? Absolutely not," Foster said.

"But it's no secret that he has always fought a terrible battle with alcoholism."

Movie producer Dean Devlin, who is Jewish, said he considered Gibson one of his best friends in Hollywood

"If Mel is an anti-Semite, then he spends a lot of time with us, which makes no sense," Devlin said.

"But he is an alcoholic and while that makes no excuse for what he said, because there is no excuse, I believe it was the disease speaking, not the man.

"I have been with Mel when he has fallen off and he becomes a completely different person.

"It is pretty horrifying."

Gibson is in trouble after being arrested in Malibu for drunk driving. At the time of his arrest, he railed against Jews as the cause of all the world's wars.

That sparked a backlash against the star's credibility in Hollywood and throughout the world. Gibson apologised -- twice -- for his comments, but has struggled to distance himself from a reputation as a conservative with Far Right views on Jews and homosexuals.

It seem to me that the following information should be more of an issue regarding Mel. But the propaganda situation of the matter compares more to that of women's fondness for Pierre Trudeau in Canada: no logic allowed.

"Gibson, who insists ideology matters less to him than stories of 'penitential hardship' like his Oscar-winning Braveheart, puts it more bluntly: 'The fearmongering we depict in this film reminds me a little of President Bush and his guys.'"

...certainly! See comment #1 for more that they have in common. Granted, Hillary might not publicly call our efforts in the War on Terror "fearmongering," but she thinks it and would execute policy from that mindset.

6
posted on 08/05/2006 3:50:18 PM PDT
by familyop
("Either you're with us, or you're with the terrorists." --President Bush)

This story is getting old, fast. Of all the things going on ... there are more IMPORTANT events occurring out there.

The fact that the idiot running Iran wants a nuke so he can exterminate Jews isn't getting as much airplay as the comments of a drunken actor. That's sad but even sadder is the obvious dishonesty of some who are madder that Gibson spoke some kind of blaspheme against the president. The politics of personal destruction are no longer the domain of the democratic party.

It seems to me that since Mel Gibson's second apology, the people that are doing the most complaining about him being antisemitic aren't Jews. Since he doesn't hold an office as an elected official, we can't keep this nagging of the subject up indefinitely. Unless someone can come up with pictures of him, Senator Byrd and David Duke all together dancing around a burning cross (did someone say Photoshop challenge) let it go.

"That's sad but even sadder is the obvious dishonesty of some who are madder that Gibson spoke some kind of blaspheme against the president."

Let's have a look at Mel's comment on that (as quoted from one of the news sources in comment #1).

"The fear-mongering we depict in the film reminds me of President Bush and his guys."

We were aware of similar opinions from Clooney and his friends. We were deceived about Mel's opinion against US defense in the War on Terror. It's news to most of us. In my opinion, his credibility level with Republicans should be filed with that of Michael Moore.

18
posted on 08/05/2006 4:11:01 PM PDT
by familyop
("Either you're with us, or you're with the terrorists." --President Bush)

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